Thursday, July 8, 2010

Review: We're Alive

‘We’re Alive’ is a zombie survival podcast drama. The first season is 12 episodes long, most separated into 3 parts. It follows the story of Michael, a former sergeant in the US army, with what is left of his unit: Angel, an officer with no combat experience, and Saul, a man who is more than he seems.

It begins with a strange riot and a call to meet up at the base. By the time the characters get there, they know something is up. After a close encounter with the zombs, they decide to find a place to create a sustainable defence and look for survivors.

From the first episodes, your breath catches in your throat. The drama is intensified by both the action and the immediacy of the medium. While the plot would be captivating in any type of text, the first person voice acting makes it all so much closer.

Part of its effectiveness comes from the high quality of production, including sound effects and actors. There are quite a range of voice actors, all in control of the tone and effect of their voice to have the maximum impact. Without any visual or descriptions, the voices are all we have for connecting to the character, and the cast of ‘We’re Alive’ do this perfectly.

Apart from the dialogue, there are also character asides which help to create the setting.

There is so much more within the plot than simple survival. The twists and turns have you constantly guessing, and there is more than death to worry about. The final episodes are horribly shocking and completely irresistible. There is not a second of the podcast you should miss.

Of all the zombie stories, of all the various mediums available for narrative, this is one of the best and most effective. Every tremble in sound for something you can’t see is a moment of terror. ‘We’re Alive’ is beyond clichés, and a thrilling ride through the zombie apocalypse.

'We’re Alive' can be download on Zune, iTunes, and for download or streaming at the website. You can also have it sent directly to your iPhone or BlackBerry.